


Who Do You Want?

by LetThereBeDestiel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends, Cas makes it all better tho, Crushes, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Racing, Suffering Dean, also, cars and motorcycles, crashes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 15:06:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7645969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetThereBeDestiel/pseuds/LetThereBeDestiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Of course, he had Balthazar and Meg – he even knew Anna better than he knew Dean, but neither of his close friends shared his enthusiasm for cars, or liked to stay after classes in the school’s library and do homework with him… Neither of them was as talkative as Dean, or as handsome - And ever since Dean’s sister, Charlie, mentioned Dean talking about him at home when Cas was working with her on an art project a couple of months ago, Cas had this fantasy – the staying-up-late, daydreaming-during-class, stomach-turning and butterflies sort of fantasy – that maybe, if he were smart, interesting or funny enough, Dean would agree to go out with him. And riding his shiny new motorcycle, he hoped, was a definite way to impress Dean.<i></i></i><br/>~<br/>It's become routine for Cas to race Dean home every day, and to wish for his love at night. A day before Cas goes on a trip to find his long-lost father, he gives Dean a ride on his motorcycle, and Dean decides he's had enough of this whole pining bullshit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Do You Want?

**Author's Note:**

> For Moni, who's been the most amazing friend to me. One day I _will _hug you.__

**_I could lift you up_ **  
**_I could show you what you wanna see_ **  
**_And take you where you wanna be_ **  
  
**_You could be my luck_ **  
**_Even if the sky is falling down_ **  
**_I know that we'll be safe and sound._ **

_**[Safe And Sound](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nzsgBGvCuQ) / Capital Cities** /// _ ([x](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puEX9On-tW4)) ~~Tyler and Josh's version which I, forgive me, think is better~~

 

* * *

 

 

Castiel’s morning was not entirely different than usual; he woke up on time, ate a buttered toast for breakfast, grabbed his backpack and his helmet and left the house early to manage to get to his 7:50 a.m. class. As usual, the sidewalks were bright with fresh sunlight and the school building was the regular depressing grimy white with a bright blue background. The inescapable sun and the constant lack of clouds and rain agitated him; he missed the glum of winter.

Inside the halls the rhythm of his pacing quickened, and by the time he burst through the door of his class he was filled with excitement, impatient to inform his friend of the good news.

Dean Winchester wasn’t his best friend; in fact, they didn’t know much about each other. It was the young enthusiasm about cars that brought them together, being enabled easily due to their homeroom teacher who instructed them to share a table after Dean smacked his old table partner Zach’s head with a binder for not returning his mechanical pencil.

He almost skipped his way to the back of the room, slamming his things onto the table as he sat down.

“New one,” Dean commented on the dark blue helmet that wobbled on the table in front of him. Castiel smiled at him brightly, his face radiating excitement. Dean’s eyes widened.

“New ride?” He called.

“Suzuki V-Strom,” Cas approved. He’s had the same second-hand gray bike since he was twelve, and after years of begging his aunt to get him a real vehicle for his sixteenth birthday he finally got it, a year late.

Eyes as wide as the moon, Dean pleaded him to skip class and sneak outside to observe the new vehicle, but Cas insisted Dean can see it at the end of the day; the last thing he needed was Amara grounding him today.

The afternoon hours didn’t rush to come, and the day passed minute by minute. Cas couldn’t wait to show Dean his new ride – the vehicle itself was exciting enough, not to talk about _riding it,_ and he was eager to impress Dean.

Of course, he had Balthazar and Meg – he even knew Anna better than he knew Dean, but neither of his close friends shared his enthusiasm for cars, or liked to stay after classes in the school’s library and do homework with him… Neither of them was as talkative as Dean, or as handsome - And ever since Dean’s sister, Charlie, mentioned Dean talking about him at home when Cas was working with her on an art project a couple of months ago, Cas had this fantasy – the staying-up-late, daydreaming-during-class, stomach-turning and butterflies sort of fantasy – that maybe, if he were smart, interesting or funny enough, Dean would agree to go out with him. And riding his shiny new motorcycle, he hoped, was a definite way to impress Dean.

Dean’s expression when he saw the bike was priceless. Cas watched him, secretly content with his reaction, and thought to himself that by the look on Dean’s face his hopes must have come true.

After spending an excessively long time inspecting it they each hopped onto their seats and looked at each other, Dean smiling through the window of his ’67 Impala. The sky was slowly darkening. Cas could see its faint reflection in Dean’s eyes, only two feet away, and only barely stopped himself from leaning closer to stare at the beautiful miniature sight. Dean kicked the gas pedal, his gearbox still on neutral, and the Impala spit out an angry growl. Cas did the same with a smile.

“I’ll race you,” he challenged, keen for the opportunity to arouse Dean’s interest in him.

Dean smiled, but Cas was already twenty feet ahead of him. He huffed, surprised, and his foot landed on the gas pedal.

As his car whirled hastily across the streets, chasing after his friend, he wondered if he’d ever gain the courage to finally tell Cas what he almost told him just now.

 *

Senior year was not easy on Dean Winchester. His parents were in the midst of getting a divorce, most of his friends left him in favor of joining Alastair and Lilith’s popular group – which he refused to take part of after discovering that his nemesis, Zachariah, hung out with them quite a lot – and Castiel, who has become his closest friend along time, was just about to go on a three-weeks-long trip with his aunt to search for his long lost father, who contacted him on his eighteenth birthday for the first time in his life. And so it turned out that Dean spent most of his free time alone in his room, playing video games in an attempt to escape his life and fretting about his goodbye to Cas.

It was an unusual occasion when they had to empty their lockers a couple of weeks before the schoolyear ended, and Dean’s siblings had to ride home with him for the day instead of carrying all their books in the bus.

“I’m scared,” Charlie proclaimed and waved at Cas as she entered the passenger seat gingerly. Ever since the day Cas got his motorcycle, he and Dean would race to his house – two blocks closer to school than Dean’s – and each day’s competition was taken more seriously than the last.

“Are you kidding?” Sam called and hurled himself into the back seat beside four piles of books, his face smeared with an ear-to-ear smile. “This is the first day mom lets us ride in the car!” He waved at Cas too, evidently excited, and Cas waved back with an awkward smile.

Mary knew, of course, about her son and his friend racing across the neighborhood every day, but she had no idea exactly how heedless these races were.

“It’s the first day mom lets _you_ ride with him, because you’re a baby,” Charlie teased. “I just think he’s a maniac.” she grimaced at her big brother, who smacked her arm.

“There’s nothin’ wrong with my driving,” he asserted. “And Sammy, I assure you,” he smiled mischievously and his eyes flicked to rest on Sam’s face through the rearview mirror, a moment before he nodded toward Cas and his foot thrust into the gas pedal. “After today, mom won’t let you ride with me ever again.”

The beginning’s rush of blood pumped through his body, and the three of them were thrust backwards and pinned to their seats. The exit of the parking lot was Dean’s biggest advantage – a couple of left turns, first to a side way and then to the main street, which Cas always took gingerly. It was harder for his motorcycle than for a four-wheel vehicle to take sharp turns, and he always saw himself crashing onto the ground in a cocky attempt to go too fast.

Bursting into the main street in a matter of seconds, they both accelerated, halting abruptly when the traffic light turned red. Dean grinned at Cas, forgetting all about his brother and sister who were glued to their seats, frozen.

Cas waited, his eyes on the red light, but as it turned yellow he looked away and his eyes widened at a random car across the street.

“It’s your mom,” he called toward Dean, and the three Winchesters turned their heads with horror in the direction of Cas’ pointing finger.

“Suckers,” Cas mumbled under his breath and accelerated, gaining an advantage of a couple dozens of feet before Dean realized he’s been tricked.

“Ass,” Dean blurted and hit the steering wheel, his eyes back on the road.

The next turn had a red traffic light and a few cars waiting for it to change color. Dean was forced to wait, third in line to pass the crossroad, but Cas zigzagged his way between the cars.

“He’s kicking your ass,” Sam called excitedly from the back seat, and Charlie had to agree behind her startled expression.

When they reached the third traffic light Dean was on the lead, but Cas overtook him again at the square. With a sharp right turn, Cas reached his house half a moment before Dean did. He jumped onto the ground and lifted the screen of his helmet while Dean took out his bag of books from the back seat and handed it to him.

“Winchester,” he said and took the bag from Dean, his wide grin dismissing his formality.

“Shurley,” Dean replied with a matching smile. They shook hands.

“See you tomorrow,” Cas said and turned away, stopping to lock his motorcycle with a chain to the nearest tree.

“See you,” Dean called after him – somewhat expectantly, somewhat sadly. He thought about Cas going away the day after tomorrow, and his smile faded.

He lingered, watching Cas take his helmet off and brush a hand through his hair as he walked away, backpack hanging from one shoulder, plastic bag straps and helmet in one hand, the other hand free. A couple of years ago, he would have looked tiny carrying all those things. Now, his body was tall and firm, almost as big as Dean himself.

An amused shout from the car snapped him out of his daydreaming. “Dean? are you okay?”

He shook his head and entered the Impala, embraced by Sam and Charlie’s synchronized calls.

_“Oohh.”_

“Will you kiss him already and get it over with?”

He rolled his eyes.

“Seriously, though, you drive like a maniac,” Charlie said.  

“Don’t tell mom,” he warned, his eyebrows rising, and glanced out the windshield.

Cas was already gone.

 *

The next day Charlie and Sam went downtown to shop for early university equipment for Charlie – Dean has already promised Cas they would do their shopping after Cas goes back from his trip – taking the Impala with them, to Dean’s chagrin. When he told Cas they won’t be able to race that day, though, Cas offered to give him a ride.

“Really?” He asked, eyes lighting up as he imagined himself sitting behind Cas with his arms wrapped around him. Cas nodded excitedly, his thoughts heading a similar direction.

“We couldn’t have raced anyway,” he explained. “I woke up late and couldn’t find my helmet, so I just left so I won’t be late. We’ll have to go slow.”

“Did you go slow in the morning too?” Dean asked, half-teasing, half-worrying.

“Are you kidding?” Cas scowled. “Mrs. Tran would kill me if I were one minute late for her class.”

He was probably right.

The day passed painfully slowly, the both of them glancing sideways at one another during classes and smiling awkwardly, nervous toward their ride together and the goodbye following it.

“Ready?” Cas asked at the end of the day, hopping onto his seat smoothly.

“I’m not sure,” Dean admitted reluctantly, wondering how exactly was he supposed to take his seat behind Cas without knocking them both down.

“Stabilize your left foot here and grab my shoulders,” Cas ordered. “And then just push yourself up.” Dean followed his orders, sitting down behind him swiftly but ungracefully.

At the front, Cas could feel the warmth of Dean’s torso pressing lightly against his back; Dean's palms hovered around his hips hesitantly.

 _Closer,_ Cas’ mind pleaded. As if Dean could read his thoughts, his grip tightened and he let out a little troubled huff.

With a certain effort Cas managed to begin the ride, doing his best to ignore the warm body behind him.

“I’m really going to miss you,” Dean mumbled abashedly, leaning in to make it easier for Cas to hear him over the sounds of the street.

“I’ll miss you too,” Cas replied quietly, a lump forming in his throat, and halted in front of a crosswalk.

He could feel Dean’s breath on his neck as they accelerated again, not leaning back although he didn’t say anything. Cas’ body felt somewhat warmer against him, his neck being colored a dull pink. And suddenly, Dean couldn’t stop himself anymore, couldn’t resist the urge to lean even closer and touch Cas’ neck slightly – not even kissing, just lips pressing against skin, briefly, deliberately. He pulled away quickly, but it was too late; Cas’ grip on the handlebar loosened and the motorcycle turned sharply to the right, bumping into a tree. It halted to a stop, losing balance and slowly tilting sideways, leaving them enough time to struggle their way off the bike before it landed on the ground.

Dean stared at Cas’ hand, startled by his own actions that lead to the crash, but Cas didn’t seem to mind.

“You’re bleeding,” Dean noted with terror, reaching a hand for Cas’ palm, which had a two inches long cut. A thin stream of blood was flowing out of it and along Cas’ wrist, but he didn’t tear his eyes off of Dean’s face. With an almost painful grip, he took Dean’s face in his hands, pressing their lips together so passionately that Dean forgot about his ankle, twisted and screaming in pain just a moment ago, and the blood from Cas' palm smearing all over his face and hair. His staying-up-late, daydreaming-during-class, stomach-turning and butterflies fantasy has finally come true.

 

* * *

 

 

_Three weeks later_

The apathetic sound of the machine filled the room, and Dean hit the button again and again to lower the volume. He didn’t want to wake someone up.

_Trrrrrr. Trrrrrr. Trrrrrr._

He prayed the internet connection won’t let him down.

_Trrrrrr. Trrrrrr. Trrrrrr._

The screen blackened; and then came to life.

“Dean!” Called his favorite voice from across the continent, and Cas’ face appeared on the screen.

“Hey, Cas.” He smiled widely, a bit happier than he sounded in the last couple of days. Not seeing Cas was becoming harder each day, but this was the last day he had to worry about that. In twenty four hours, they would meet again.

“How was today?”

“Great! We were at…” The connection broke, and Cas’ voice disappeared. The image froze.

Dean’s face fell. After a moment, though, the upbeat sound of Cas’ chatter returned. “How was your day?”

“It was fine,” he lied and forced a smile, but there was no point. Cas could see through him so easily it was becoming annoying.

"I'll be there soon," Cas grimaced, trying to comfort him. “I miss you,” he added gently, and pressed a couple of fingers lightly onto the screen. Through the laptop camera, it seemed to Dean as though Cas’ hand was just touching something beneath the computer, but he imitated the action.

“Miss you too,” he said sadly. There was a dull thud on Cas’ end and his head shot left.

“Dad, come say hi.” His voice sounded muffled when it wasn’t turned directly toward the computer microphone. From an invisible place in the room, Dean could hear a muted voice.

“Who is it?”

“My boyfriend.” Cas’ voice was still faint. A moment later, a fairly young man in a white T-shirt under a bathrobe and the hint of graying hair appeared on the screen.

“Hello, Dean.” Cas’ father waved awkwardly toward the camera, and Dean smiled back sheepishly.

“Hey, Chuck.”

Cas’ dad quit the conversation shortly after, leaving the both of them alone. It was only nine p.m. for Cas, and Dean didn’t mind staying up after midnight. Falling asleep during classes was routine by now.

Beginning his relationship with Cas just when they had to separate has forced them to communicate only through words, which made Dean uncomfortable at first but eventually allowed him to be much more open to his boyfriend. He was ready to see Cas again, and he was ready to tell him how he felt.

He was ready for them to go to the same insignificant community college and live in the same house and share the same bed. Pain and desperation were still surrounding him, but he was ready to love Cas, and for the first time in his life, he was ready to be happy.


End file.
